Hall of Fame

If you're reading this you may or may not know how much of a sports fanatic I am.  Much to my wife's disdain I love watching almost any kind of sport that comes on T.V. and I especially love watching Sportscenter on ESPN.  Of all sports though, football and baseball top my list of favorites.  Like most, I enjoy watching excellence being exhibited on the field or court.  As a kid growing up in the 1980s I loved watching George Brett lead the Kansas City Royals to the playoffs every year and eventually the World Series Title in 1985.  His tenacity on the field and his eagle eye for hitting everything that was thrown his way made him a player for the ages and a first ballot Hall of Famer.  In football, I have been a fan of Tom Brady since the day he took over for Drew Bledsoe.  With a pile of records, 3 Super Bowl Rings, and statistics that are out of this world, he is sure to be a first ballot Hall of Famer when he retires.  Excellence is admired in sports.  Excellence is admired in all walks  of life.  We lift up the great communicators, we fight over our favorite politicians, we are in awe of the brilliant scientists, and we honor the great warriors of history.  There is no doubt, we love excellence.  And we therefore strive for excellence.  Do you know how much I would love to throw a football like Tom Brady?  Who doesn't want to have their name held high?  Who doesn't want to be famous?  Who wouldn't want to be in the Hall of Fame of something?  So....are you striving for excellence?  

More importantly are you striving for excellence in your faith.  Understand, you can seek the riches of this world.  You can seek fame in your home, your work place, your city, your school, your team, your state, even this world.  But what if instead of seeking this world's Halls of Fame, what if we sought the Hall of Fame mentioned in Hebrews 11.  From Abel and Enoch to Noah and Abraham, great men and women are named for their great steps (even leaps) of faith.  These heroes of the Faith experienced great and amazing things.  Some of which hurt, some of which were dangerous, some of which were risky, and some of which were just plain crazy.  But what got their name in this list is their willingness to put selfishness aside and follow God, no matter what the future held, because they had a deep and constant faith in Him.  I love verse 38:  "the world was not worthy of them."  WOW!!!

The author of Hebrews, after listing several giants of the faith, goes on to say beginning in verse 32:  "And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground."

 

Be warned....seeking a life of great faith is not always easy.  It will not always be comfortable for us.  It will not always be rewarding (as the world defines rewards).  It will not always be safe.  But it will be worth it.  George Brett and his legacy remains in Cooperstown, NY.  Noah, Moses, and Rahab and their legacy remain in the Holy Presence of God and will remain throughout eternity.  

So what will we all seek today?  Earthly fame or Godly faith?  World renown or the renown of Jesus Christ?  Today will you seek selfish gain or Godly sacrifice?

Image from:  http://www.garyt.com/work/brett.html

Image from:  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/specials/sportsman/2005/